Historic Guitar Gifted by Jimmy Page in a Magazines Competition 50 Years Ago Set to Sell for over $67,000 at Auction
In September 1972, legendary guitarist Jimmy Page purchased a 1957 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 guitar in Nashville for around £200. Fast forward to 2025, this very same guitar is set to be auctioned off by Gardiner Houlgate auction house on September 9, with an estimated selling price between £30,000 and £50,000 (approximately $40,000 to $67,000).
This guitar holds significant historical value due to its association with Page during the early Led Zeppelin era. The guitar, which bears a resemblance to one owned by Eddie Cochran, was won by Charles Reid in a competition organised by the New Musical Express magazine in 1974. Reid, a guitar enthusiast from Hornsey, North London, described the guitar as "the kind of instrument that every guitar player dreams of owning but can never really afford."
Reid kept the guitar until 1990, after which it changed hands privately until the recent estate sale. For those interested in the guitar’s history, its provenance, and the upcoming auction, various sources offer valuable insights.
The auction house Gardiner Houlgate’s official press release and listing, dated September 9, 2025, provides detailed information about the auction. The New Musical Express 1974 interview with Jimmy Page, which accompanied the original competition, offers a firsthand account of the guitar's significance.
Articles from Guitar World, Ledzepnews, and Vinyl Me, Please summarise the guitar's background and expected auction value, offering a comprehensive picture of the guitar’s journey from Page’s personal collection to an auction item highly prized by collectors. A YouTube preview video of the auction highlights this guitar and others, providing visuals and expert commentary on its condition and interest for collectors.
Copies of the New Musical Express showing the competition for the guitar and a photo of Page giving the guitar to winner Charles Reid are available for those interested in a more visual account of the event.
It's worth noting that Phil O'Donoghue, the guitarist who later owned the guitar, was a member of the '70s band Wild Angels. The guitar is now being sold by the family of Phil O'Donoghue, making this a unique opportunity for collectors and fans to own a piece of rock and roll history.
[1] Gardiner Houlgate auction house press release and listing (auction date September 9, 2025) [2] New Musical Express 1974 interview with Jimmy Page [3] Articles from Guitar World, Ledzepnews, and Vinyl Me, Please [4] YouTube preview video of the auction (link provided)
- The 1957 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 electric guitar, once owned by Jimmy Page and associated with the early years of Led Zeppelin, is set to be auctioned off by Gardiner Houlgate auction house on September 9, estimated to sell between £30,000 and £50,000.
- This particular guitar, which resembles one owned by Eddie Cochran, has a significant historical value, with detailed information about its auction available in Gardiner Houlgate’s official press release and listing (auction date September 9, 2025).
- For a firsthand account of the guitar's significance, readers can refer to the New Musical Express 1974 interview with Jimmy Page, which provides insight into the guitar's journey from Page's personal collection to an auction item highly prized by collectors.
- Those interested in a comprehensive picture of the guitar’s journey can also find articles from Guitar World, Ledzepnews, and Vinyl Me, Please, offering summaries of the guitar's background and expected auction value. A YouTube preview video of the auction provides visuals and expert commentary.
